Cinderella (fictional character)

Count Jon Stewart among the many thousands of parents and moviegoers unimpressed by Disney’s controversial makeover of “Brave” heroine Merida. In case you missed it, last weekend Merida was officially inducted into Disney’s “princess collection,” meaning that her image, like that of Ariel, Belle and Cinderella before her, will now appear on a slew of merchandise aimed at young girls. The problem is that her image will look noticably different than in the hit Pixar film, which celebrated Merida’s independent spirit: Like a quirky starlet who’s submitted to the pressures of Hollywood by cutting carbs and hiring a stylist, the...

Out of 3,000 photos from a two-week Eastern Mediterranean retirement cruise and a week in tialy, this was my best of Venice, one of the most romantic cities in the world.
Taken after the morning mist and humidity had cleared at midday in October,...

Count Jon Stewart among the many thousands of parents and moviegoers unimpressed by Disney’s controversial makeover of “Brave” heroine Merida.
In case you missed it, last weekend Merida was officially inducted into

The number “13” is considered unlucky by some, but certainly not for travelers heading for Central Florida in summer of 2013, as this year holds unprecedented expansions at theme parks, accommodations and dining in Orlando and surroundings. Here’s a quick...

The princess predicament is a problem as old as Disneyland. Moms want a picture of their little girls with a Disney princess while Dads and their bored boys squirm at the very notion of waiting 45 minutes for a photo op.Disneyland seems to have found a...

In this week's episode of "The Real Princesses of Disneyland," Aladdin has his eye on Sleeping Beauty, Ariel calls Cinderella an old hag and Snow White is jealous of Tiana's new line of designer tiaras.
The new Fantasy Faire enchanted village...

Captain Jack Sparrow swings down upon the gang of pirates overtaking the ship. Swords clash before he calms the rumble and they celebrate with fireworks bursting above.
Sound like a scene from the next "Pirates of the Caribbean" flick? It's...

Expect at least five major projects to open at Central Florida theme parks and attractions in 2013.
•Antarctica — Empire of the Penguin, SeaWorld Orlando: The ride combines a mobile-simulator platform with a trackless navigation system. Eight-passenger...

After years of planning, it took just 12 minutes to officially open the latest addition to Fantasyland, the largest expansion in the Magic Kingdom's 41-year history.
Walt Disney World rolled out fireworks, a cavalcade of Disney characters and princesses,...

The next milestone of the big Magic Kingdom expansion is approaching. The grand opening of major sections of the "new" Fantasyland is set for Thursday. You can brave the year-end crowds at Walt Disney World to check out the area, which basically...

It's Cyber Monday, so you know what that means: Fire up the TRS-80 and start downloading all your favorite apps for a great price.
On Monday only, Disney Publishing Worldwide has a lot of deals running on some of their fan-favorite book apps.
Here's the...

"No, not magic. Science," Frankenstein says, as he brings his brother back to life during a convenient storm. That's right, "Once" fans. Dr. Whale was revealed to be the infamous mad scientist in this episode titled "The...

It's the hot, dry side. The sunset spot. The leeward shore, downwind from all the cool and wet. But among each of the six major Hawaiian islands, the "west side" has its own personality. Big resorts on the Big Island. Sea cliffs and funky...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - As we walked across the broad, brick-paved plaza, a burst of music swelled, the strings rising to cinematic heights amid a pounding of kettle drums. A man in a crisp white shirt waved and beamed. Perfectly manicured flowers swayed in the...

Ellicott City residents Rosario and Maria Di Marco never lost their desire to have a second home by the sea in Lewes, Del. To this day, the quiet resort town holds happy memories of summer vacations at Fort Miles near Cape Henlopen Park when their...

Ah yes, we return this week to the "Real Housewives of New York City" with another fight about London, a single storyline with LuAnn's pregnancy problems, and a few jabs by Ramona.
Honestly, there was nothing new with the NYC ladies this...

The last trips through Snow White's Scary Adventures, one of the original Disney World attractions, will be Thursday, May 31. Here's a look at the Fantasyland ride's past and Snow White's future.•The dark ride will be gutted and renovated to become...

This is one time you'll want to encourage kids to color inside the lines. Grown-ups, too.
As soon as you sit down for dinner at Animator's Palate aboard the new Disney cruise ship Fantasy, your server hands you a green marker and a special placemat and...

I heard from a bunch of angry Illini fanswhen I said Illinois wasn’t a destination job for anybody you’d want to hire. I said it was a steppingstone job for the guys you’d want to bring in. Bill Self jumped to a heritage program. Bruce Weber had a...